Lyudmyla Kichenok had plans to get married to Jelena Ostapenko’s coach, Stanislav Khmarskiy, this week. However, their run to the US Open women’s doubles championship forced a change of plans. They ended up winning the title on Friday for their first major as a team by beating Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-3. Kichenok revealed that the original plan was to get married on Wednesday, the day she and Ostapenko won their US Open semifinal match. “It’s a good excuse to postpone it a bit,” joked Ostapenko during the trophy ceremony.
The No. 7 seeds, Kichenok and Ostapenko, started the season with a loss in the Australian Open final. However, they dominated at Flushing Meadows, not dropping a set throughout the tournament and claiming the $750,000 prize. Ostapenko expressed her excitement during the on-court trophy presentation, emphasizing how unexpected their success was. Kichenok dedicated the victory to her home country of Ukraine, acknowledging the ongoing struggle for freedom and hoping to provide some encouragement through their win.
Kristina Mladenovic, a player with six Grand Slam doubles titles, faced disappointment as she fell to 0-3 in US Open finals. Zhang Shuai was looking to add another trophy in New York to her collection after winning in 2021 with Sam Stosur. Despite the loss, Zhang remained motivated, declaring, “we will fight next time.”
Ostapenko and Kichenok took control early in the match by breaking in the second game, establishing an advantage. Although Mladenovic and Zhang managed to level the set, the eventual champions pulled through in a crucial eight-deuce game, saving multiple break points to take a 5-4 lead. With Zhang committing a double fault on the second set point, Ostapenko and Kichenok capitalized on the opportunity to secure the first set.
In the second set, Zhang and Mladenovic initially broke to lead 2-0. However, Ostapenko and Kichenok displayed resilience by breaking back to level the score at 3-3. They continued their strong performance by breaking Mladenovic at love to go up 5-3. Despite facing three match points, including a video review confirming a double hit by Kichenok, they eventually sealed the victory on their next chance.
The journey to the US Open women’s doubles championship was not only a memorable one for Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko but also a testament to their unwavering commitment and teamwork on the court. Their decision to postpone the wedding in pursuit of sporting glory resulted in a well-deserved triumph, marking a significant milestone in their careers.
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